nostalgia

Having watched that damn High School Musical so many times has got me thinking about my own high school life.

Being 35 it has been a pretty long time since my wonder years. In many ways my life has shaped up in the way I dreamed it would. Living an independent metropolitan life, successful and surrounded by interesting and diverse friends.

What I wonder about is the level that my expectations have now risen to. What do I want from myself now?

When I was in my senior year I was out of school every day at 12:35. I had my own car, worked part time at Pizza Hut as a cook, and was the treasurer of the Drama Club acting as second in charge to the stage crew.

My friends and I were drinkers, but racking my brain I don't remember drinking on school nights. During the week we just had good clean fun. And I do mean squeaky-clean. I didn't lose my virginity until college and ditto for drugs.

But I did hand out with friends during the week. Reminiscing I had so much fun, and I suppose in a way it is sad that looking back now it takes so much effort to figure out how we kept ourselves entertained without drinking. Nowadays I talk to friends about going out and the bar is the focal point nine times out of ten.

What I do know is as a teenager we spent of time just...being together. We hung out. Didn't watch TV (except for our one afternoon soap opera.), didn't really go see movies. Literally just finding company to be out of the house was enough. And it was brilliant fun.

Back then hanging out doing absolutely nothing was totally enough. Now everything has to have a destination or a purpose. At least to motivate me to want to come out. I think I'm going to work on that. Just being, enjoying the company of others should be enough.

That being said, here are the pics from my last purpose-driven outing - last Saturday at the Astoria Beer Garden to celebrate the engagement of Ron and Erica. Awesome couple, awesome time.

Pics were taken by iPhone, who has from here on out been deemed the nickname Mookie.